Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever End 7-Year Playoff Drought: ‘We’re In!’ as They Secure WNBA Playoff Spot.Giang

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever have a lot to celebrate now that the team earned a guaranteed spot in the WNBA playoffs — and put an end to a lengthy drought.

On Tuesday, Sept. 3, the Fever’s fate was confirmed after the Atlanta Dream and Chicago Sky both lost their respective games against the Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces.

After seven years of not making it into the championship series, the longest active drought in the league’s history has ended, with the Fever set to play in the tournament for the first time since 2016.

“We’re in,” the team posted to X (formerly Twitter), adding, “We have officially clinched a spot in the 2024 @WNBA playoffs.”

Clark, who has a record-breaking rookie season since being drafted first by Indiana in April, responded to the news by resharing the Fever’s update to her Instagram Stories.

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According to USA Today, the Indiana basketball team has failed to make the playoffs from 2017 to 2023, making it the longest current drought in the WNBA.

The team also tied with the Chicago Sky for the longest playoff drought of all time. The latter missed seven straight tournament chances from 2006 to 2013, the outlet reported.

But now, the Fever will return to the playoffs when the tournament begins on Sept. 22. Per USA Today, “even if Indiana were to lose each of its last seven games [between now and the end of the regular season on Sept. 19], it would still be in the playoffs.”

As for Clark, during her rookie season with the Fever, the 22-year-old player has set WNBA records for three-pointers by a single-season rookie, assists for a single-season rookie, most assists by a rookie in an All-Star Game and most assists in a single game, according to ESPN.

The outlet also reported that she achieved the first triple-double by a rookie, became the fastest player to reach 350 points as well as 150 assists during a WNBA season.

In July, she, alongside the Sky’s Angel Reese, won the WNBA All-Star Game when the two took the court together at the Footprint Center in Phoenix. They faced off against — and ultimately beat — the U.S. Olympic team 117-109.

The Indiana Fever, meanwhile, has seven games left this season. They next play the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday, Sept. 4 before facing off with the Minnesota Lynx on Friday, Sept. 6.